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Regalian Empire
The Regalian Empire is the largest and most culturally diverse nation in the known world of Aloria. It spans numerous continents, and encompasses wide trade routes, landmasses and oceans. The Regalian Empire is presently the largest continuous absolute monarchy. It controls nearly seventy percent of all Ailor on Aloria, and large quantities of various other races within its boundaries. The Empire mostly exists as a federal collective of states under the Imperial Seat, the collection of the Regalian Emperor, the courts of Regalia and various other institutions. While the power of the Empire has fluctuated over the centuries, it has relatively enjoyed a position of hegemony almost uncontested for nearly 300 years since its first establishment in 5 AC The Regalian Empire both expresses the pinnacle of Human culture, but also many of its vices. Many, even in present day times, argue whether the Regalian Empire is inherently good or evil. While the moral lines aren’t entirely clear, what is certain is that the Regalian Empire has ambitions to subjugate the entire world, and has made many strides to do so. Etymology The Regalian Empire derives its name from the Regalian Kingdom, which preceded it before it was overthrown by a populist rebellion in 5 AC, the Five Family Rebellion. The Kingdom itself that pre-dated the Empire derived its name from the Seraph ruins of Rell-Gallis, a term used by the Seraph to identify royalty, which once covered the island on which the city of Regalia is situated. The name is effectively the same in every other language as the Empire has had such an impact on the world that is created a word in every existing language. Other terms are occasionally used to describe it however, such as: The Empire, The Imperium, The Regalian Commonwealth and the Human Empire. Technically referring to the Regalian Empire as “Regalia” is incorrect, as that term specifically refers to the Crown Isle of Regalia, which is one of the many states that is part of the Empire, and also its capital. History Early History The History of the Regalian Empire formally starts around the exact date of Cataclysm where the first roots of the Empire were struck. The Regalian Kingdom, which predated the Empire, was an oppressive nation that strongly taxed its people and failed to provide the essential military safety they craved for from Elven slave raiders of the time. Some would even speculate the last Regalian King assisted the Elves by moving troops around to avoid getting in their way in exchange for large sums of Elven currency. The Five Principal Families, being Ivrae, Kade, van Sherburne, Vermeer, and Cadar signed a deal in effect that would summon them all together in a rebellion against the Regalian King. They did so in 3 AC, creating a military conflict for nearly 2 years which eventually resulted in the assault of Regalia itself and the toppling of the King’s government. In terms of rebellions, the Five Family Rebellion was short and effective, largely owed to the fact that the Principal Families were relatively powerful before the rebellion already, and effectively shut the King off from all his supporters. Following the collapse of the Elven Empire and the ceasing of raids, coupled with the fact that the Cataclysm itself also never truly affected the Regalian Archipelago while it destroyed vast parts of the world beyond, the strength of the Empire grew rapidly. The Regalian Archipelago itself had large plains of fertile lands, ore rich mountains and a strong Human population boom, due to the Elves no longer snatching up their children. Early on, the Regalian Empire, as it was proclaimed with the Ivrae family at its head, controlled less than 20% of the actual archipelago. To the south of Regalia were the Vularian and Hecarian Kingdoms. To the east were the Vulminer and Wirtemcaller nations, and to the north and south the Nordskagger Horde and the Eerstwald and Itlar Kingdoms respectively. These minor nations managed to resist Regalian expansion early on, but by the year 98 AC, much of the southern Kingdoms had either fallen in war, or married into the Regalian Empire. The faith of Unionism had also started mass-converting the population of the Empire and the outlying lands in favor of the Old Gods faith which was still very strong among the Nordskagger Horde. Around this time, Regalia went to war with the Nordskagger Horde, whom were a loose tribal federation of barbarians. The war would result in a 80 year long conflict over the Drixagh and Calemberg areas. Various setbacks for Regalia followed, with numerous waves of invasions. Regalia, however, was victorious in the end of 179 AC, when the entire Archipelago was conquered by the Empire. During the entire period of the Nordskagger wars and the subjugation of the Itlar and Wirtemcaller states, massive influxes of migrants came from Daendroc and Ithania, continents which had socially and economically collapsed as a result from the Elven Empire disintegrating and local warlords destroying the lands. Regalia became a beacon of peace and prosperity for Humans across the known world, and news of this serene state spread across the other continents as well, drawing in merchants and fortune seekers alike. Due to its central position in the known world, Regalia became a hub for free trade as well as free thinking. The Unionist faith was spread to Daendroc around 190 AC and the Regalian Emperors started looking beyond the Archipelago to conquer new lands. Nation after nation subjected to Regalia through a combination of shrewd diplomacy, sword rattling, and political marriage. Before long, Regalia controlled the vast majority of the Human population on Aloria, and converted the vast majority of them to Unionism. Unionism, being an easier religion to follow and providing more spiritual resolve, became as much a way of life as a political tool for the Regalian Emperors to assert their holy providence. Beyond 230 AC, Unionism was the largest religion in the known world, only partially eclipsed by the faith of Estel, which was still prevalent among the Talar. Various schisms inside the Sanchella of Union never fully managed to destroy the resilience of the religion largely because it had the unique ability to adapt, unlike other religions. While other religions eventually washed away by the changing of the times, Unionism allowed Emperors to write new Creeds whenever the need arose, thus allowing Unionism to evolve as time went by to suit the needs of Humanity and the Regalian Empire. Regalian Pessimism Around 260 AC, despite many recent military conquests, the period referred to as the Regalian Pessimism started; a period in which the religious and military momentum eventually ground to a halt and the first cracks in the Faith of Unionism started showing. Various diseases plagued the Empire as well, its own growth crippling it as the Empire had grown too bloated, and the bureaucracy was unable to keep up. The government was further crippled by the Drachenwald Crisis which created a trickle down politics, resulting in a non-functional Senate which froze the decision apparatus of the Empire for many decades. Only at the start of the Chrysant War did the Pessimism end and did religious and military fervor restore belief in the Regalian Empire. The war with the Slizzar and Allar was as much a religious crusade as a genocide of a race that the Humans feared could rival them one day in technological progress. The Essa Empire, as the Allar called their own nation, was completely crushed and an end was brought to the Slizzar control over the Allar. With the fervor of Regalia restored, more military campaigns followed in the decades to come, against the Elves, Orcs, and even against the Qadir on numerous occasions. In present day, the Regalian Empire polices a carefully constructed geopolitical balance between itself and the Qadir Sultanate, Regalia’s only direct rival. Several independent fringe states exist, though most of them are in one way related to Regalia or the Qadir, thus creating a very polarized political landscape. In modern times, Regalia mostly aims itself inward, attempting to restore and maintain peace between the many races, religions, and cultures that live within its borders, while also guarding against external heresies like the Void, Vampires, and other demonic ilk. The Regalian Empire is not as stable as it had been in the past; frequent rebellions and conflicts among nobility have shaken the foundations of the Empire, now relying on the grit and tenacity of its people to continue thriving. Government * For more historical context, read the Regalian Senate page. * For more law enforcement context, read the Regalian Law page. The Regalian Empire has a complex form of governance that is hard to understand at first sight. From the very top down, the Regalian Empire is an Absolute Monarchy with the Emperor at the head of everything followed by the Sanchella of Union and all clerical figures. The Emperor and the church make up a sovereign nation called “The Imperial Seat” together, which is the overarching ruling body of the Empire. Underneath the Imperial Seat however, various states exist in a Federal construction among one another with varying degrees of autonomy and state control and radically different government forms. To further understand the political structure of the Empire, see the bullet points listed below. The bullet points are in ranked order, meaning Crown Nations have a higher political importance to the empire than Aristocratic Realms and Governorates. Sub-bullet points are ordered based on authority. For example, the Ithanian Grand Princedom has control over the Hivres, but not the Aristocratic Realm Lordships. Everything is supervised by the Imperial Seat. * The Imperial Seat (Church and Emperor) ** The Crown Nations *** Lusits Kingdom (Kingdom) *** Nordskag Kingdom (Kingdom) *** Torse Kingdom (Kingdom) *** Ithanian Grand Princedom (elected from one of the Hivres) **** Hivre Haute Puisse (Principality) **** Hivre du Sud (Principality) **** Hivre Saint-lume (Principality) **** Hivre Bains des Bas (Principality) **** Hivre Bressuivre (Principality) **** Hivre Castellajoux (Principality) **** Hivre Saint Shevaix (Principality) **** Hivre Carnigoux de Foix (Principality) **** Hivre Agennes-sur-Livres (Principality) ** Aristocratic Realms *** Anglia (Lordship) *** Dorinn (Lordship) *** Calemberg (Lordship) *** Drixagh (Lordship) *** Vultaro (Lordship) *** Montania (Lordship) *** Islandia (Lordship) *** Pays-Sud (Lordship) *** Girobalda (Lordship) *** Vixhall (Lordship) *** Dragenthal (Lordship) *** Basta (Lordship) ** Crown Cities *** Regalia (City Council) *** Hallonq (Viscounty) *** Daenshore (Viscounty) *** Beneterife (Viscounty) *** Palomaressa (Viscounty) ** Colonial Realms *** Daenshore (Governorate) *** Sun Isles (Governorate) *** Hadarian (Governorate) For sake of ease of reference, the absolute ruler of the Empire is and will always be considered the Emperor. The factual control of the Emperor is extremely minimal in the Empire however, limited to making overarching decisions and steps to ensure the common course of the commonwealth as a whole. The power of the Emperor trickles down to the Bureaucracy and the Judiciary, massive organizations that handle paperwork and communication between the Imperial Court. Furthermore, while the Emperor is the supreme leader of the Admiralty and Marshallry, his actual control is limited to simply ordering the armies to defeat a certain sovereign, and then the pipeline decisions get made by the Admirals and Marshals of the Regalian Armed Forces. Despite this severe watering down of power, the Emperor’s words and actions are still absolute. No counter word may be offered for he is considered holy beyond comprehension and his word is literally that of a god. In practice, the Emperor is often very content simply keeping a back line position and watching things play out in front of him, intervening where necessary to keep Regalia going where they want it to go. List of Rulers *Before Cataclysm - Assorted Rulers *6 - 61 A.C. - Holy Emperor Theomar the First *61 - 73 A.C. - Courageous Emperor Leomar the First *73 - 79 A.C. - Vigilant Emperor Leomar the Second *79 - 121 A.C. - Honorable Emperor Henri the First *121 - 121 A.C. - Hedonistic Emperor Henri the Second *121 - 161 A.C. - Blessed Emperor Henri the Third *161 - 190 A.C. - Witful Emperor Allamaria the First *190 - 200 A.C. - Virtuous Emperor Handorien the First *200 - 219 A.C. - Strong Emperor Allestrain the First *219 - 269 A.C. - Unfortunate Emperor Justinian the First *269 - 302 A.C. - Righteous Emperor Justinian the Second *302 A.C. - Present - Untested Emperor Alexander the First Government Trivia * Curiously enough, revolting against the City Council of the Regalian Crown Isle (The capital city) is not counted as a capital heretical offence. Due to the Imperial Seat seceding from the Imperial City, one can legally rebel against the City, but still remain loyal to the Emperor, thus avoiding a heresy charge. This means that since recent times, it has become feasible to revolt against the city authorities and get away with it. Whether or not the Emperor intended for this to happen is entirely up for debate. * Due to the split of the Archipelago in separate Aristocratic Realms, it is actually partially legal for them to go to war with one another, but only if all sub-states of a particular Lordship agree. In the case of the Anglian Lordship, this is easy since it only contains ex-Kade family titles, but for example for Drixagh this would be a lot harder since 5 separate families rule there with their own separate agendas. * All of the Empire's bureaucratic orders and offices funnel back to the Imperial seat, where the various institutions have their archives, where most of the ministers reside and where the Emperor's Privy Council assists in the creation of Laws for the entire Empire. The Imperial Seat, or rather the Imperial District of the Regalian City, is as such the heaviest guarded place in the known world between the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Regiments. Foreign Relations The Regalian Empire maintains hostile relations with most foreign nations except the ones it finds relevant to its political sphere of influence. Regalia generally uses a very intimidating approach when dealing with other nations, demanding tribute or excessive concessions to placate or threatened with invasion. Regalia maintains open hostility with Qadiriyye and the Empire of Sendras, privateering or attacking naval forces of either whenever they are seen anywhere within the Regalian Empire’s borders. Military The Regalian Empire fields Aloria’s largest navy, as well as the most technologically advanced siege weapons available in modern times. This extreme quality in naval warfare however, has resulted in a severely lackluster land military. The majority of Regalia’s land military is made up of peasant levies and untrained hired men who often pledge more allegiance to the family they serve than the Emperor himself. This results in a very diverse and disorganized land military that is often subservient to the Naval Command during wars. The Regalian State only has a very small standing army of professional soldiers. The Empire mostly relies on decentralizing military forces to aristocratic families, lessening the costs of fielding armies but also impacting their quality. The Regalian armed forces usually rely on overpowering numbers and superior artillery, both from massive cannons as well as naval coast bombardments. * For more information on the Regalian Military, read Imperial Fleet Economy Regalia has the world’s largest mercantile economy, easily making up 70% of the global international trade and more than half the domestic trade market of any nation. As Regalian trade is so profoundly present in other nations, even its rivals like the Qadir Sultanate, the Regal is a universally accepted coin in any corner of the world, aside from some seriously backwater areas where civilized contact is minimal. Regalia is an aggressively Imperialistic nation, favoring pressing exploitation of colonies for the benefit of the Empire and unequal trade treaties with foreign nations that are backed with a massive armada and merchant fleet. Despite Regalia’s trade dominance however, its main source of income is the massively obscene taxation system of the Empire. The Regalians, over the course of three centuries, have perfected the art of taxation to the minutest detail with a sprawling bureaucracy, archive and tax collectors present in every corner of the Empire. It is often said Regalians love numbers, and love squeezing a profit out of numbers even more as every transaction is taxed one way or another. It comes as no surprise that Regalia’s treasury is obscenely large, fueling both the expansive attitudes of the nations as well as the splendor and prestige excesses of the nobility and the Imperial court. Despite the size of Regalia’s economy, it is actually excessively fragile and reliant on good harvests. The building blocks of the economy are mostly founded on agricultural produce and its trade and export. These foundations allow the merchants to branch off in other sectors with start capital, meaning if a famine were to ever strike the Empire, the whole economic system would risk utter collapse and the world economy as a consequence. Demographics thumb|350px|The Regalian skyline at sunset. Demographics are measured by the total land mass of the Regalian Empire, not the Regalian Crown Isle or the city of Regalia. The numbers of demographics vary radically from state to state, so use other pages for reference when consulting on exact numbers. *59% Humancategory:Ailor Demographics *21% Elvencategory:Talar Demographics *5% Ch’ien-jicategory:Ch'ien-Ji Demographics *5% Dwarvescategory:Dwarf Demographics *3% Tigrancategory:Tigran Demographics *4% Qadircategory:Qadir Demographics *1% Allarcategory:Allar Demographics *2% Other The Regalian Empire maintains a distinct difference between what it considers Citizens, Supporters and Outsiders. Citizens are those within the Empire who have rights. Supporters are those who have minimal rights conferred to them by the Judiciary, and Outsiders are those who have no rights whatsoever. The Rankings of Citizens are tiered between First, Second and Third rank citizens. First rank citizens enjoy all rights of being a member of the Regalian Empire. Second Rank citizens have decreased law enforcement protection and waive their right to fair treatment in court, while Third Rank citizens have no basic charity rights and often live on the streets or in the slums. The following races are ranked: * First Rank Citizens ** Ailor ** Qadir ** Ch’ien-ji ** Talar Elves ** Cielothar Elves ** Avanthar Elves ** Dwarves * Second Rank Citizens ** Orc * Third Rank Citizens ** Drowdar ** Isldar (Currently under Right suspension) ** Allar (Only if born or living in the Regalian Hadarian Governorate) ** Yanar ** Rashaq * Outsiders ** Dakkar ** Lampar (Though when House pets, they are Third Rank Citizens) ** Maiar ** Mekett ** Shendar ** Slizzar ** Thylan (Though when enslaved, they are Third Rank Citizens) ** Tigran (Though when enslaved, they are Third Rank Citizens) ** Ur ** Wulong **Solang Qadir The Regalian State, The Regalian City Authorities and the Regalian Emperor have the right to freely move individual people between Ranks on the Rank ladder without too much issue. This does not happen often, but in some cases, exceptional service from a Third Rank Citizen for example would prompt authorities to upgrade just that single individual. The rights of a citizen are often recorded by the bureaucracy, which means that sometimes the Judiciary may also decide to downgrade for example an excessively unhelpful Ailor or Qadir. That being said, this almost never happens since the preferred punishment that would even warrant such a situation is execution or extended imprisonment. Still, it is often an effective method to target the families of criminals and rogues in an attempt to get them to turn themselves in by stripping the rights of all whom they cherish. Culture One can never truly identify Regalia with a single culture. Every single culture that exists in the world is in one way represented in the various corners of the Empire. Still, for sake of cultural identification, various forms of culture exist within the Empire that clearly dominate the others, and in way are seen as the prime cultures of the state. Below is a categorical listing of the various prime cultures and their importance in rank. The main culture that overpowers the other by far is the Alt-Regalian followed closely by the Imperialist culture. Even though the actual number of people who identify as Alt-Regalian is less than all other cultures, it is the historical main culture of the Empire in its roots, only slowly being overtaken by the new century Imperialist culture recently. * Heart Regalian Cultures ** Alt Regalisch ** Alt-Anglian ** Imperialist * Ithanais Cultures ** D’Ithanie ** Leutz-Vixe * Western Cultures ** Daendroque ** Dressolini ** Catala * Northern Cultures ** Northerne ** Ceardian ** Holsen Religion As with culture, nearly every known Religion in the world is present in the Regalian Empire one way or another, but individual rights of the various religions differ radically. Regalia’s formal state religion is Unionism, and technically all other forms of religion are heresy and viable for execution on grounds of being a heretic. Still, there are some legal constructs in which one can be a follower of a different religion, as long as certain promises are made based on legal contracts. Below is a proper explanation on the state’s views and the legality of every major religion. * Unionism - State Religion ** Unionism is the Regalian Empire’s state Religion. Unionists have full rights to everything and enjoy extra protection rights against heretics and foreigners. ** The Etosian Heresy of Unionism is nominally protected within the Empire and legal to profess in public, but it may not be preached on punishment of death. ** The Vultar Heresy of Unionism is fully illegal and counted as a major heresy. Any follower of the Vultar Heresy is put to death. ** The Diviner Heresy of Unionism is fully illegal and counted as a major heresy. Any follower of the Diviner Heresy is put to death. * Faith of Estel - Tolerated ** The Regalian State tolerates the Faith of Estel only under the condition that those who are worshipers have signed the Ekheinder Contract, a legal contract which guarantees that the signatory professes to the theory that the Imperial Spirit is the actual identity of Estel, and that the Elven Empire was a failure that proclaimed Human supremacy. Additionally, Estel must be worshipped in certain Regalian approved temples where the old Estel idols are usually filled with Unionist symbols. The Faith of Estel may not be spread. * Old Gods - Tolerated ** The Old Gods faith is tolerated under the condition that those who worship have signed the Profession of Melennar Contract, a legal contract that guarantees the the signatory professes to the theory that the various Old Gods are actually aspects of the Imperial Spirit and that the Old Gods is just an older version of Unionism, proclaiming the Emperor as the supreme being. Furthermore, they must worship their faith in special chapels attached to the Unionist churches, but may not spread their faith. * Shama-Abdala - Tolerated Minimally ** Shama-Abdala is only minimally tolerated as long as the Qadir wear hats during worship in special “Imperial Sun” temples. By effectively forcing heresy onto the Shama-Abdala worshippers, they are coerced into becoming Unionists. Failure to comply to the laws on Shama-Abdala worship is liable to have the offender executed. * Void Worship - Fully Illegal and Punishable by Death * Nessrassian - Fully Illegal and Punishable by Death * Faith of Hael - Fully Illegal and Punishable by Death * Way of Tides - Fully Illegal and Punishable by Death ** It should be noted however that the authorities tend to be very loose when it comes to punishing those who follow the Way of Tides as persecuting it is believed to be too disruptive to the functioning of the Imperial Navy. * Dargan Religions - Fully Illegal and Punishable by Death It should come as no surprise that many citizens of the Empire who do not follow Unionism, even though they are a small minority, continue to live their faith in private, either through hidden temples or underground praying rooms. The Regalian state and the Sanchella of Union in particular has the White Order, or the Regalian Inquisition, work tirelessly to hunt down heretics and non believers within the Empire’s boundaries. They also investigate supporters of such heresies and pass judgement where necessary. To be caught by the White Order while being a heretic is usually a death sentence. *''Read more about Unionism here'' *''Read more about Old Gods here'' *''Read more about the Faith of Estel here'' Symbols Regalia’s symbols are relatively simple but powerfully recognized across the world. The Regalian Purple-Yellow-Purple banner is the official flag of the Empire and various Crown Cities. Furthermore, the Imperial banner Purple-Blue-Purple is seen across the Crown City and the Imperial Seat as the old Kade family banner. Additionally, the Unionist faith is expressed through the Unionist eye, an almond shaped eye frame with a pupil in the middle which is often surrounded by solar rays to signify the Imperial Spirit. Finally the feathered dragon and the Holy Stag are often seen as the animals representing the Empire, being the old crest animals of the two Imperial dynasties, Ivrae and Kade(Alltmeister). Trivia *The Regalian Crown Isle is actually the site of a massive underground Seraph complex. It has been built over by generations into what is now vaguely seen as the Sewers. *The Regalian Heartland is actually much weaker on paper than all of its tributaries and substates combined. *The Regalian Empire is the only self sufficient state in existence around it, needing no foreign export or import to feed, clothe or maintain the standard of living for its citizens. Category:Nations and States Category:Regalian Archipelago category:Regalia category:Nelfin category:Humans category:Talar category:Ailor